


Graduation

by Humansunshine



Series: Maia Month 2018 [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Graduation, Maia Month 2018, graduation ceremony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 23:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15254574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Humansunshine/pseuds/Humansunshine
Summary: Maia finally graduates.





	Graduation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wortschatz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wortschatz/gifts).



> There's a vague sort of disconnect to this that could be read as somewhat disassociative? Idk my brain's weird today because I'm on new meds, so read with caution!
> 
> Requested by Jule! The prompt read: speaking of Maia being smart: a future fic about her finally graduating college and all her loved ones being there to celebrate her (bc it's what she deserves!!)

It was strange, graduating with a class that wasn’t hers. 

Maia had attended online classes, so she had no idea who any of the people around her were. They were all mundanes, a few years younger than her, and chattering excitedly about final grades and plans and internships. Maia was smack in the middle, and feeling more pinned in by the moment. She turned, searching for Simon and Luke in the crowd sat behind, a little of her anxiety easing as she caught sight of them, their eyes already fixed on her. Luke mimed pushing an invisible hat up a little, and Maia adjusted her cap on her head. It had been a battle getting it to stay on. Simon and Luke gave her a thumbs up when she put it straight again, and she gave them a thumbs up in return, before turning back to face the front.

She watched as each row went to stand at the side of the stage, the students walking across the stage in turn to get their diplomas, pausing for a photograph, and then walking around to sit at the back of the hall. As Maia’s row neared, she took a few breaths and reminded herself to be careful of her shoes. The heels she wore weren’t excessively high, but they were quite thin, and it was easy to trip in them. So far, only one person had tripped, but they’d managed to catch themselves before their crimson face hit the floor. So far, so good.

Maia really didn’t want to be the one person to break their nose. 

Next to the stage, she rehearsed in her head what she was supposed to do. Four steps, diploma, smile, flash, five steps and out of the spotlight. Easy. It didn’t matter what happened after that, no-one except Luke and Simon would be looking at her. She glanced at them again as she reached the stage, smiling when she saw that Simon was more or less bouncing in his seat. The usher gave her a gentle nudge, and she nodded at him before climbing the steps, her hand outstretched for her diploma.

“Congratulations.” The chancellor said, and Maia smiled, turning right in time for the camera to flash. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she walked off the stage, pausing for a second to realise that it was over, she’d done it without tripping, and then hurried up the side. 

As she took her seat, she looked at Simon and Luke, who were both beaming at her, and she felt her eyes fill. Ducking her head, she looked down at the certificate in her hands, unfurling the scroll to take a look at her. It was just a piece of paper, but it was the culmination of years of work, her survival throughout all of it. So much had happened to her while she tried to keep her focus on her studies, and there had been so many times where she’d been forced to compromise in places she didn’t want to. But she’d done it. She got her prize. And maybe it was just a silly piece of paper that cost thousands of dollars, but Maia would be damned if she wasn’t going to treasure it for the rest of her life. 

Once everyone had their diplomas, the students had to leave the hall in a procession. Maia’s hand was snatched up by a girl she’d never seen before, who was already crying. Maia met her eyes, surprised. 

“We did it,” the girl whispered, her voice thick with emotion, and Maia laughed, choking up herself and squeezing the stranger’s hand. They hugged sideways as they walked up the aisle together, and as they reached the door they seperated, never to see each other again. Outside, Bat, Magnus, Alec, Izzy and Clary were waiting, and the rest of the pack were hanging back a little, all of them wrestled into their best clothes. Bat presented her with a bouquet of flowers, and Alec held out a cold beer, which she took a grateful swig from. She could barely hear their congratulations over the noise of joy all around her as the other students met their loved ones. There was a group hug, and then Simon and Luke found them, and Simon swept her up into his arms, and Maia’s ears were ringing, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed anyway, her face pressed into his cheek. 

Luke hugged her next, so hard she felt her back crunch a little, his kiss pressed into her hair. 

“You have to throw your hat!” Bat yelled over the din, his phone raised. Simon took Maia’s flowers, diploma and beer from her and she trotted back to join the other students. She managed to get a spot in the front, and the chancellor counted down from where he was stood next to the professional photographer. Maia kept her eyes on her little group as she extricated her cap from her hair, watching the hat sail up into the air along with hundreds of others, trying to keep track of hers, but it was useless; the sky was filled with spots of black. 

Clary came to pull her back to the group, and after another round of hugs, someone suggested they go back to the Hunter’s Moon to begin the celebrations. Maia just nodded along, taking her diploma back from Simon. She didn’t want to let it out of her sight. She left the hat. She wasn’t going to be needing it anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Taking Maia-centric prompts all through July!


End file.
